Vehicle-gear.



No. 724,921.' .PATENTBD APRI?, 1903..

A. P. MOLELLAN.

VEHICLE GEAR. APPLICATION FILED 00T. 22. 1902.

Np. 724,921. a PATENTED APR', 7, 1903.V

A. P. MGLELLAN.

VBHIGLE GEAR'.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 22. 1902.

A NO MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Tn: Nonnls azi co., Pncouma, WASHINGTON, n. c.

VNITED vST-nfrns QPATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER MCLELLAN, OF WEST NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

vEH I CLE-GAE'AVR,

srncrrlcnrrolvvforimg part of Letters-Patenti@ r@4,921, dated A prn '7, 1903. l f

Applicationtieaootottizz,1992, 'stri'ailraizasza (Nomad.)

Tov all whom, it may concern: 5.

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER P. MGLEL- LAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at West Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Gear; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use .thesame This invention relates to certain new andA *useful improvements in the construction of.

vehicles, and has particular application. to the structure of the fifth-Wheels and Whiffletrees thereof. i

This invention has primarily in contemplation the production of a fifth-wheel especially adapted for runabouts and light buggies, which shall obviate the necessity of employing galling-irons and devices of a like character now generally in use for preventing the body of the vehicle being damaged by contact simple in construction, durable, and of such strength that the portions thereofV may-be subjected to a great strain Without any seriousdamage resulting. These objects are attained by avoiding the employment of the king-bolt now commonly in use and so constructing the circular bed-plates or turning-plates Aof the fifth-wheel as to serve the purposes of such king-bolt.

With these ends in view theinvention consists in tlie peculiar construction,,combination, and arrangements of parts, as will hereinafter be fully set .forth in the specification and claims and illustrated in the appended drawings.

While I have herein shown and described my preferred construction, it will .of course be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form thereof, but that there can be modification as to theproportionof the parts and the minor details of construction without departing from the essence and spirit ofthe invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. l

To a full understandingof the merits of my invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- It is also the Y Figure l 4is a front elevation of a portion of a vehicle-axle and head-block, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan viewof the same, a portion of the axle being shown in section. Fig. Sais a central vertical'section taken on the line .fr m of Fig. 1 and showing the construction of the turning-plates, whereby the use of the king-.bolt is obviated. Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the limiting bolt or pin. Fig. 5 is a :.detail View of one of the strap-bolts. Fig. 6 jis abottom plan view of a modification of my .invention. Fig. 7y is -a central vertical sectionalview of the same, taken on the line y y iof Fig.` 6. Fig. 8v is a detailed view of the @limiting-bolt employed in the constructions shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

. Referring now to the drawings in detail and 'in particular to Fig. l thereof, A designates the central portion of the vehicle-axle, upon which is movably supported, through the medium of devices to be hereinafter described, the head-block B. As in the ordinary construction of vehicles, a perch, as at C, is rig-- fidly secured at one end to the head-block,

and the parts are further reinforced atf the -point'of their juncture by the head-*block 'strap l. This head-block strap, as will be. kmore clearly seen by reference to Fig. 3, is`

.fastened-at one end to the perch C and ex.- x i tends over the head-block B, its lower end,

'whichis rounded and screw-threaded, being.`

screwed into the upper plate 2, which' for the sake of convenience I will hereinafter term the head-block plate. This plate, as will be observed, is further secured to the 'head-block by means of the saddle-clips 3 and '4 andis provided at its central part with a relatively large and widened portion 5, substantially circular in conformation. The axle `portion of the vehicle (A) is also provided with a plate, as at 6, substantially similar in conformation to the plate 2, this plate 6 being secured to the axle by means, of thesad -dle-clips 7 and 8, and is alsovprovided centrally with strap-bolts.9, the lower ends ofl which support the' T-shaped plate 10, which in turn carries one end of the guard-brace D, the upper ends of bolts 9 being provided with nuts countersunk in the plate 6.

The enlarged central circular portion of the axle-plate 6 has preferably threaded there- IOO in an upwardly-extending stud or projection 12, Fig. 3, which is adapted to enter the ori- .ce 13, formed in the center of the head-block plate, thereby permitting the latter, with its accompanying parts, to turn thereon. By this construction it is evident that the necessity of using the king-bolt is obviated and the entire structure strengthened, the threaded stud 12 being readily removed when worn and replaced by a new stud without altering the surrounding parts. The lower or axle plate in Figs. l, 2, and 3 is at 13 shown as recessed or slotted 'at opposite sides in such manner as to receive the limiting or stop bolt or pin 14. This bolt 14 is provided with a relatively large head 15, which forms a rearwardly extension, said extension engaging and bearing against the upper plate 2, forming a brace, thereby preventing the bolt from bending when the same is assembled with the other parts of the invention, and said bolt is also provided with an extension or projection 1G. The shank of the bolt passes upward through the head-block plate and is secured in place thereto by means of a suitable nut,

as at 17. When in position, the enlarged head works in the recessed slot 13', while the projected portion 16 extends under and engages with the bottom portion of the axleplate. The bolt 14 at the back of the axleplate is preferably made to extend upward through the perch C. By the above-recited construction it will be evident that the parts are all united or bound firmly together, while at the same time an easy turning of the fifthwheel thus formed is permitted.

The ends of the strap-bolts 3 4 and rland 8, secured to the ends of the head and axleplates, are countersunk therein in such manner as not to interfere with the easy operation of the parts.

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 I have shown a modification of my improvements, which for some purposes, especially for use on whiietrees, I have found to be preferable to the construction just above described. In this construction the use of the king-bolt is also rendered unnecessary by providing one of the circular plates, as at 18, with an integral studor projection, as at 19, adapted to be seated in an orifice 20, formed in the adjacent circular plate 21. In this form solid yoke-plates, as at 22 and 23, are used in the place of the bent strap-bolts and are held in place by means of straight bolts 24. By this arrangement of parts it will be seen that the wood is not weakened by being penetrated by bolts or screws. A segmental slot, as at 25, is formed in one of the plates, and in this slot works a limiting pin or bolt of the type shown in Fig. 8. This bolt is provided with a nut 26, washer 26', and a segmental flanged portion 27, formed integral with the shank and adjacent to said eircular head portion. This segmental ange conforms in contour to and is of relatively less longitudinal diameter than the said segmental slot in which it is adapted to play.

The shank 28 extends through the adjoining circular plate and is secured rigidly thereto by any suitable nut 29. This construction l consider to form a very essential feature of my invention, as by it I am enabled to avoid the use of galling-irons and like devices. Should the flange become worn, it is only necessary to remove the bolt and insert another in its-place.

I am aware of the fact that prior to my iuvention it has been proposed to employ means for avoiding the use of the king-bolt and galling-irons; but I believe myself to be the first one to have devised a structure wherein, in addition to avoiding the use of bolts and screws entering and weakening the wood portions of the gear, means are employed for' limiting the movement of the plates of the fifth-wheel or whiitletree and at the same time permit such means to be removed and renewed without disturbing the plates themselves.

`The many advantages incident to my improved structure are so evident that it is unnecessary to dwell upon the same in detail here.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A turningmechanism forrunning-gears, comprising upper and lower plates, one of said plates having recessed portions on each of its edges, bolts projecting from the other plate and engaging both of said recesses, said bolts overhanging and inclosing the edges of the recessed plate to the front and rear thereof, and shoulders formed by the said recess for engaging said bolts and limiting the movement of the plates with respect to each other, a brace comprising a head having a rearwardly-extended portion formed integral with said bolts, substantiallyl as described.

2. A turning mechanism forrunning-gears, comprising upper and lower plates having enlarged circular, central portions opposing each other,notches cut into the opposite edges of one of said plates, bolts comprising an extension and a head forming a brace projecting from the unnotched plate and overhanging and inclosing the notched portions of the notched plate, and shoulders formed by the notches in said notched plate limiting the movement of the plates with respect to each other by engaging the said bolts, substantially as described.

3. A fifth-wheel mechanism for runninggears comprising an upper and lower plate engaging each other, bolts carried by the upper plate and formed with enlarged head portions, ianges upon said head portions on one side thereof overhanging and inclosing the edges of the lower plate for guiding the same in its movement, and shoulders formed upon the said head portions of the bolts on the sides opposite to said flanges and engaging the under side of the upper plate for bracing4 the said head portions of the bolt, substantially as described.

IOO

IIO

per plate, forming a brace for said bolts, and shoulders formed by the recesses inthe lower plate, being adapted to engage the heads of I5 the bolts and limit the movement of the axle with respect to the bolster of the Vehicle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER P. MCLELLAN. Witnesses:

BENJAMIN F. OTIs, ALICE E. TARBOX. 

